Wear take-up adjusting means for reciprocating knives of clothcutting machines



Feb. 7, 1950 w. AARON WEAR TAKE-UP ADJUSTING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATINGKNIVES 0F CLOTH-CUTTING MACHINES Filed July 17, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Feb. 7, 1950 WEAR TAKE UP ADJUSTING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATINGKNIVES OF CLOTH- CUTTING MACHINES William Aaron-, Brooklyn, N. Y.Application July 17, 1946, Serial No. 684,191

3 Claims. (01. 30-273) This invention relates to cloth-cutting machineswhich are equipped with reciprocating knives; and the invention hasreference, more particularly, to a novel construction of knife orcutting blade for such machines.

The invention has for an object to, -provide a construction of knife orcutting blade for clothcutting machines which is providedwith novelcoupling means adapted to permit its adjustment relative to its drivingmeans in such manner as v to change its operative position in the.machine, whereby to compensate for recession ofits cutting edge due togrinding down thereof bythe knife sharpening means with which clothcutting machines of modern design are usually provided.

Other objects of this invention, not at. this time more particularlyenumerated, will be understood from the following detailed descriptionof the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a cloth-cutting machineof the reciprocating knife or cutting blade type, as equipped with thenovel blade structure according to this invention; and Fig. 2 is afragmentary front elevational view of the same, with parts in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the novel coupling meansof the blade as initially engaged with the blade drivingmeans, themachine standard and blade guide being shown in section; and Fig. 4 is aview similar to that of Fig. 3, but showing the novel coupling .means ofthe blade as adjusted relative to the blade driving means, whereby toadvance the 7;

position of the blade cutting edgev in compensation for cutting edgewear.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary face view of a modified form of cutting bladeprovided with the novel coupling means of this invention; and .Fig. 6 isa fragmentary face view of a. cutting bladeprovided wth a modified formof the coupling means.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above describedviews, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character I0 indicates thebasevof a cloth-cuttin machine, from which rises the standard H inconnection with the upper end of which is supported the head I 2 bywhich the motor andblade driving mechanism of the machine is carried.The standard II is provided with the usual forwardly open slot orguideway l3, in which the cutting blade, when it is operativelymounted-in ciprocating the cutting blade comprises a verticallyreciprocable slide block M which runs in the slideway l5 with which thehead I2 is provided. Said slide block I4 is reciprocated by a motordriven crank-wheel I 6, or like suitable 'means, to which it isoperatively connected by a connecting rod l1. Means is provided at the.lower end of said slide block M for detachably coupling thereto thecutting blade I 8; said means comprising a dependent arm l9 whichterminates in a coupler jaw 29, from one face of which projects anexternally screw-threaded coupler stud 2| which is unitary therewith.Threaded onto said coupler stud 2| is a clamp nut 22 which is providedwith a base flange 23 to oppose said coupler jaw 20. The upper end ofthe cutting blade I8 is ordinarily bifurcated to provide a notch for thereception of the coupler stud 2!, so that said blade end portionstraddles the latter, whereupon it may beclamped between the coupler jaw20 and the clamp nut 22, when the latter is tightened home on thecoupler stud 2|, thus rigidly coupling the blade to the driving means bywhich it is vertically reciprocated in the slot or guideway 13 of thestandard, and in such relation to the latter that its cutting edge 24projects freely and forwardly from the same.

In modern cloth-cutting machines of. the reciprocating cutting bladetype, means (not shown but familiar to the art) is provided which may bebrought into' service from time to time, as

necessity requires, whereby to resharpen the ex- -It is to avoid thiswaste, and to permit extended use of a blade beyond the period when itwould have to be discarded, which is the object of this invention toattain. To attain this objective, I have constructed the upper end ofthe blade in such manner as to permit its forward advancingadjustmentrelative the means by which it is operatively coupled to thereciprocating or driving mechanism therefor, whereby an additionalamount of the blade material is made available for service, and subjectto further sharpening thereof. To this end, the upper end portion of themachine, is reciprocated. The meansfor rethe blade I8 is provided with abifurcated formabe longitudinally reciprocated thereby.

may be sharpened from time to time.

tion affording a downwardly extending entering notch 25 intermediate thearms 23 thereof. Said notch 25 communicates at its lower or inner endwith a coupler stud receiving opening or transverse seating slot 27 of aheight conforming to the vertical diameter of the coupler stud 2i, andof a width substantially exceeding the transversediameter or width ofsaid coupler stud 2i. .Said opening or seating slot 21 is bounded on itsouter or forward side by a perpendicular margin of shoulder 28 and onits inner or rearward side by a similar perpendicular margin or shoulder28.

Preferably, the opposite sides of said coupler stud 2| are cut away toform perpendicular fiat abutsition in the machine, and in coupledrelation to the driving mechanism therefor, the clamp nut 22'beingloosened, the back edge portion of the blade is entered in the guideway13 of the standard I l, and then the blade is pushed up ward to pass thecoupler stud 2| through the notch 25 and entranceway 33 and into thereceiving opening or seating slot 21. When thus disposed, the blade IBis adjusted so as to abut'the outer or forward margin or shoulder .28 ofthe opening or slot 21 against the outer or forward abutment face 30 ofthe coupler stud 2|, thus positioning the blade in operativeperpendicular position, with its cutting edge 24 outwardly projectingfrom the guideway 13 of the standard I After the blade is thusoperatively positioned, the clamp nut 22 is tightened home on thecoupler stud 2|, wherebyto clamp the blade between the flange 23 of saidclamp nut 22 and the coupler jaw 29. Owing to the provision of thebearing tongue 32, a generous and adequate bearing surface above thecoupler stud 2! is provided on one face of the blade for frictionalengagement by the coupler jaw 20, and on the opposite face of the bladefor frictional engagement by the flange 23 of the clamp nut 22, wherebythe blade is firmly gripped in an adequately balanced manner both aboveand below the coupler stud 2i, and thus strongly and non-shiftablycoupled in operative relation to the slide block it so as to Suchinitial coupled relat on of the blade l8 to the driving mechanismtherefor is shown more particu arly in Fig. 3.

During use of the thus initially mounted blade [8, as the cutting edge24 thereof dulls, the same Such sharpening, as repeated, wears down saidcutting edge 24, thereby causing it to "recede toward the standard I I.When, under such circumstances, the cutting edge 24 approaches thestandard too closely for further eflicient operation, the blade may beadjusted laterallyto advance the receded cutting edge relative to thestandard I I, whereby to again permt effective operation thereof andfurther continued use of the blade. To accomplish this, the clamp nut 22is loosened to release engagement of the blade by the flange 2-3thereof,

whereupon the blade may be moved laterally out- "ward until theinneror-rear'ward marginor Springing from the inner side of at 4 shoulder 29of the seating slot 21 abuts the inner or rearward abutment face 3| ofthe coupler stud 2|, thus perpendicularly aligning the blade in suchadvanced position (see Fig. 4). After the blade is thus adjusted, theclamp nut 22 is again tightened home so as to bind the blade between itsflange 23 and the couplerjaw 20. In

this adjusted position of the blade, the tongue 32 continues to disposeits opposite surfaces respectively for engagement by the coupler jaw 20and clamp nut flange 23, so that the blade is strongly gripped and boundboth above and below the seating slot 21 in a balanced grip adapted tofirmly hold the blade subject to operation in its advanced position. Itwill be obvious, that, as thus repositioned, not only may further use of.the blade be made, but further resharpening of its cutting edge 24 maybe carried out, until the latter recedes to the point where further useis impractical, and discarding of the blade finally unavoidable. Theadditional use, however, which the adjusted advance of'the blade permitsadds greatly to the length of useful life of the'blade, and conservesthe material thereof with resultant economy.

If desired, the adjustable blade may be provided with an additionalrearward cutting edge .24 (see Fig. 5.), whereby the, blade may bereversed after one edge, as edge 24, has been consumed, thus furtheradding to the useful life of theblade. v

In Fig. 6 I have shown'a somewhat modified form of the coupling endportion of the blade, whereby instead of a single bearing tcngue32, 1provide two bearing tongues 32' and 32" respectively springing fromopposite sides of the notch 25, but separated to provide an intermediateentranceway 33' leading to the underlying seating slot 21. It will beapparent that said bearing tongues 32' and 32" provide thedesiredbearing surfaces above the coupler stud 21 subject to the grip ofthe coupler jaw 20 and clamp nut flange 23. Having now described myinvention, I claim: 1. In a cloth-cutting machine of the reciproeatingknife type, in combination with the vertically reciprocated coupler jawof the machine, a

screw-threaded coupler stud projecting from said jaw, a clamp-nutthreaded onto said coupler stud, a knife attachable to said coupler jaw,said coupler stud being provided at respective oppositesides withperpendicular abutment faces, said knife having a bifurcated upper endport on pro; viding the same with a downwardly extending entering notchwhich terminates at its lower end in a transverse seating slot toreceive the extension therethrough of said coupler stud, said seating,slot being of substantially greater width than the transverse width ofsaid stud and of a height corresponding to the vertical diameter of saidstud, said seating slot having perpendicular side margins respectivelysubject to abutmentby the respective abutment faces of said studaccording to the laterally adjusted position of said 7 callyreciprocatedcouplerjaw of the machine, a

screw-threaded coupler stud projecting from said jaw, a clamp-nutthreaded onto said coupler stud, a knife attachable to said coupler jaw,said coupler stud being provided at respective opposite sides withperpendicular abutment faces, said knife having a bifurcated upper endportion providing the same with a downwardly extending entering notchwhich terminates at its lower end in a transverse seating slot toreceive the extension therethrough of said coupler stud, said seatingslot being of substantially greater Width than the transverse Width ofsaid stud and of a height corresponding to the vertical diameter of saidstud, said seating slot having perpendicular side margins respectivelysubject to abutment by the respective abutment faces of said studaccording to the laterally adjusted position of said knife relative tosaid stud, and said knife end portion having a clamp nut bearing tonguespringing from one side of said entering notch but terminating short ofthe opposite side of the latter to provide an entranceway of a widthadapted to pass said stud therethrough and into said seating slot, saidbearing tongue being disposed to overhang said seating slot, whereby tobe lapped by said clamp nut, in common with other areas of the knifeadjacent said seating slot, so as to grip and rigidly hold said knifebetween said nut and coupler jaw in selected laterally advanced adjustedposition.

3. In a cloth cutting machine of the reciprocating knife type as definedin claim 2, wherein the knife is provided with both forward and.rearward cutting edges, whereby to be both reversible and laterallyadjustable relative to its coupled connection with the coupler jaw.

WILLIAM AARON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Banger Dec. 15, 1942Number

